Vehicle wheel and axle.



J. E. MURRAY.

VEHICLE WHEEL AND AXLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.21.1919.

1,026,220. Patented May 14, 1912.

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wn'NEssEs N `JAMES E. MURRAY, vOF MCKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

VEHICLE WHEEL AND AXLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented May 14. 1912.

Application filed April 21, 1910. Serial No. 556,681.

' To all whom/t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. MURRAY, a resident of McKeesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented' a new and useful Improvement in Yehicle lVlieels and Axles, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels andaxles of the class in vwhich the wheel journal orskein is hinged to the axle for the purpose of steering the vehicle, as is the case with motor vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a vehicle wheel and axle of the character named, which is simple, strong and very durable, and especially one so coristructed as to exclude the dust from the Awearing parts and so as to admit of thorough lubrication of the wearing parts.

To this end the invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The inventionalso includes certain parts and features relating to other objects or purposes than those named, all as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a vertical section through the wheel taken longitudinally of the axle; Fig'. 2 is a horizontel ysection taken longitudinally through the wheel hub and showing the skein bearings in plan view; Fig. 3 is a vertical scction transversely of the axle taken on the line 3-3, Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 1-4, Fig. 1.

The axle 1 may be of any desired or preferred construction, and is either double or at least forked at its end as shown, so as to provide the arms 2 and 3 with openings in alinenient with each other for receiving the 'pivot members or trunnions 4.

j The Wheel journal or skein is indicated generally at 5, and this at its inner end very much enlarged and provided w1th two substantially concentric portions, to wit: an inner portion' t5 and an outer portion or flange 7, these parts being arrangedon diametrically opposite sides with aflining openings for receiving the trunnions or pivot members 4. The latter members are threaded at their inner ends as at S, and the holes .for receiving said inner ends are similarly threaded. 'lhe outer ends of the trunnions 4 are provided with slots or vkerfs t) or other suitable means for receiving a screw 'driver or other` instrument by means of which they can be inserted and taken outl The arms 2 and 3 of the forked axle lie between the central part (3 and the outer portion or flange 7 of the wheel journal or skein, as shown.

The central portion t3 of the wheel journal or skein is preferably made hollow as shown to provide for lubricating the trunnions as hereinafter described, and to admit means for locking the trunnions 4 from accidental unscrcwing. To this end the inner ends of said trunnions are provided with slots, as shown in Fig. 3, which when said trunnions are in proper position are in alinemcnt with each other. inserted in said alining slots is the locking key or plate 11, which is held against coming out by means of a closure for the hollow portion of the journal or skein, said closure being shown in the forni of a threaded plug 12. This feature 'constitutes one of the parts of the invention herein claimed.

The wheel'hub is indicated generally at 14, this heilig hollow or recessed, said recess being' of large size or diameter in the plane of the spokes 15, and being reduced in diameter outwardly. ln the plane of the spokes the inner face of said recessed hub is provided with the bearing face 16 for receiving roller bearings 17 which surround the enlarged portion or flange 7 of the wheel journal or skeln.

The outer face of the wheel journal or skein is cylindrical at the point where the roller bearing contacts therewith. The

roller bearings may be of any suitable type j being shown as of a well known type conlprising cylindrical rolls held apart by means of spacing rings 18 which form a cage.

It will be observed that the trunnions 4 are located in the plane of the spokes, and consequently are not subjected to twisting stresses. This however is not new per se.

vAccording to another part of the invention the outer reduced portion of the hub'is provided internally with seatI Q0 which ends in a shoulder 21 toward the interior, which seat receives the 'ball race 2Q. On the reduced outer portion Q3 of the journal or skein is a cooperating ball race 24, said races being provided with one or more grooves for receiving the halls 25, two such sets of grooves and balls being shown. The shoulder 21 j'n'events the ball races from being displaced inwardly, and said races are pre- O friction due to such cause. A' cotter pin 27 is also preferably provided to prevent the nut from coming olf. The nut is concealedv to render the outer face of the axle more j sightly, and also to exclude dust, by means 5 of a cap 28 having a threaded engagement with the outer face of the reduced portion of the hub. To prevent dust from getting intov the bearings from the inside of the wheel thel hub and journal or skein are provided with J interlocking flanges, one of said Kparts being 'provided with a groove to receive the other.

part, with an interposed packing. As shown, the hub is provided with the annular flange y 25 3() while the journal is provided withva corresponding groove in an outwardly 4projecting flange 31, said groove receiving'a 'packing 32 of felt or other material which prevents the entry of dust. The recesses in the journal or skein fof* receiving the arms of theaxle do not extend entirely through said journal or skein, but are closed on the outer -side by the walls 33, thereby prevent! As a ing dust from entering at this point.

consequence the entire bearing is practically sealed against the entrance of dust or grit.

According to another part of the invention there is between the hub and the journal or skein an ample chamber 35 for receiving 4o theoil or other lubricant which may beintroduced through any suitable opening such as opening 36. This chamber communicates through the ports 37 with the interior hollow or chamber l0 of the journal; from this 4,5 point a port 38 leads to the bearings of the lower trunnion a. Oil ycan also pass down- \Wardly from chamber 35 into the chamber of larger diameter in which the ball bear# ing 17 runs, and from the upper portion of said bearing a port 39 leads to the bearings of the upper trunnion 4. As a consequence both trunnions are thoroughly lubricated.Y

From the chamber 35 ythe oil can also flow` into the inner ball race 25 as will be ap, parent, and the two races are connected by V-shaped grooves or ports 40. The ange 3l of the journal orV skein is provided with a. projecting arm 42, preferably lintegral therewith, for receiving the link 43' of the steering mechanism, as will be readily iinderstood.

. rlhe wheel described has the pivots or trun-nions of the axle in the plane of' thespokes, thereby relieving said pivots or trunnicns largely .from all bending strains.

and axle, said journal projecting into ',Furtheriitiorei',v said pivots or trunnions are supported .at bothy ends, and consequently.

will withstand very heavy ystrains'without bending or breaking. Practically the only way to destroy or. injure said pivots or trunnions is by shearing them olf, which is not 'likelyto occur.` The bearings are so constructed as to'be practically sealed against .dust and grit, and also can-bejthorouglily lubricated. -The parts are so simpleV and compact that they can be applied in a vehicle wheel of ordinary size and the entire hub and wheel construction is sightly and therefore adapted for' motor vehicles of'all types. v rlfhe endthrust of the journal in the hub 1s taken care ofby the ball bearings 25 in the cooperating races 22 vand 24, thesev races being held against inward movement by the shoulder 2l on the hub, `and against'l outward movement by the nut 26 screwed on to theouter end of the journal or skein.

' What l claim is: f

1. In a Ivehicle, the combination of an axle, a wheel provided with hub-having ai.. j

large recess in the. pl"ane"of the spokes and a lcontracted recess extendingv outside. of said. plane, a wheel journal hinged to the axle, cylindrical roller bearings' between said and hub substantially in theplane journal of the-spokes and contacting directly with the inner face of the hub and the outer face leo of the journal, a ball race in the contracted outer portion of the hub and bearing against an internal shoulder therein, a cap secured to the hub and closing the outerend thereof and clamping said ball race against said internal shoulder, aball race lit-ting on ternal shoulder thereon,'a collar secured .to the journal and clamping' said against said` external shoulder, said ball races being one within the other and havingl their coperating faces substantially parallel to the axis of the wheel and `provided with registeringsemi-circular .ballx receiving grooves, and balls in said grooves.

`2. In a vehicle, the combination of'an ball r race ioo .the outer end of the journal against'an exv axle, a wheel provided with a hub, a wheel l journal, tru'nnions connecting said journal trunnions having a threaded connection .in the journal, and means for 'locking said trunnions against rotation.

the combination `of an 3. In a vehicle, axle, a wheel provided with a hub, a wheel bearing therein-and-provided on its inner the hub vand having end with a central recess, trunnions connectl ing the journal @to the axle, s aid trunnions having a threaded connection in the journal and extending into the central recess therein, and means in said 'central recess for preventing rotation of said-trunnions. 4. In a vehicle, the combination ofv an axle, a wheel provided with a hub, awwheel journal projecting into the hub and having a bearing therein and provided at its inner end With a central recess and With concentric portions vprovided with alining openings, trunnions fitting into said alining openings, said trunnions having a threaded connection in the journal, and extending into the central' chamber, said journal and hub providing an oil chamber therebetween,a port in thejournal extending from said oil chamber to the chamber in the journal, a port extending nion, a roller bearing surrounding the journal in the plane of the trunnions, and an o1l duct extending inwardly through the j ournal from the roller bearing to the upperl trunnion.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES E. MURRAY. lVitnesses JESSE W. REEDY, FREDERICK BURKERT.

20 from said central chamber to the lower t'run- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commis'sionervfof Patents,A

Washington, D. C. 

